thenearshore | Closed | A Sudden Departure...

Who: Residents of Izanagi Temple and close CR

When: Aug. 22

Where: Izanagi Temple

What: Kanji's housemates process his departure

Morning of the 22nd - Closed to temple residents only

[Immediately upon waking up, Naoto can tell that something feels off. There's a certain emptiness in her chest that wasn't there when she'd fallen asleep the night before. Uncertain if she's just overthinking things or not, she slowly gets up and starts her morning routine. It seems she's up before the others again today, so she sets about readying some morning coffee and tea for everyone. She opens the cupboard where they keep the mugs, pulling out one, two, three, four, five... Her hand stops. A sudden thought completely rupturing her calm. This unease she's feeling... could it mean that? No. Please no.]

[She sets the fifth mug down with the others before running back down the hall and up the stairs. Her footsteps likely loud enough to wake the others, but Naoto's too focused on proving to herself that this fear overtaking her is completely unfounded. It has to be. She stops outside Kanji's door. Her hand hesitates for a moment. Then, slowly, she opens the door just wide enough to poke her head in. Her heart skips a beat, and she lets go of the handle. The door slowly creeks the rest of the way open as Naoto stands in the door-frame, as the hallway light behind her filters in on an empty room. The five mugs sit unused in the kitchen.]

Afternoon of the 22nd - Open to Close CR

[Throughout the rest of the day, anyone who visits the Izanagi temple will notice that its residents seem more sullen than usual. Naoto, in particular, is sitting off in a corner of the temple's back porch by herself. She'll greet anyone who approaches her with a small smile, but it's clear that she's not alright. Her eyes seem unfocused, as if she's staring through you instead of actually at you, and her voice is also a little more hushed than usual. All of this creating just an overall air of numbness about her. She could use a friend right now.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Nanako's expression falls at the sight of her bare neck, wishing she could give Naoto the answer she wanted. Instead, tears well up in her eyes and she gives a slight shake of her head. ]

No. It's not. I think... I think Kanji went back home.

[It's quiet for a long moment as Naoto just stares at Nanako, though she's not so much really looking at the younger girl as she's looking straight through her. After a moment, she reaches out with a hand to steady herself against the doorframe. Her other hand covers her mouth and she squints her eyes shut. No, no, no...]

Why? Why did he... why him?

[Her voice muffled behind her hand.]

[ Nanako doesn't hesitate, just flings her arms around Naoto's waist, hugging her tightly. ]

I don't know. He wouldn't have wanted to leave you behind, Naoto-oneechan. I know that. It'll be okay. You're not alone here.

[The sudden push of Nanako's weight against her actually catches Naoto a little off guard. She steps a foot back to keep balance, and releases the doorway from her grasp. She turns slightly so that it's now her back resting against the door-frame. Her now free arms hover for a moment at her sides before slowly wrapping around Nanako, holding the small girl in a soft embrace. Slowly, Naoto slides her back down the inside of the doorway until she and Nanako are both sitting on the floor, never breaking from each other's embrace the whole time. Naoto manages a small, broken smile as she hugs Nanako a little tighter. She closes her eyes as tears start to fall.]

[ Nanako just holds onto her, crying with her as well as she hugs the shinki tightly, shifting until they're both comfortable where they are crouched there together. ]

[They sit like that for a long time. The two of them holding onto each other. Naoto afraid that, if she should let go, somehow she could lose Nanako-chan, too, and she can't bear the thought of losing anyone else right now. So instead, she clings to the younger girl like a lifeline, as her shoulders softly shake from the tears.]

[Finally, when it feels like she's run herself dry, Naoto manages to slowly look up and take stock of the now empty room once again. She stares at it for a moment, feeling a similar emptiness in her own chest. However, as she looks back down at Nanako, there still seems to be a small spark of hope there, too. She manages to give the little girl a weak little smile and briefly holds her just a little tighter before relaxing her arms enough for her to sit back and address Nanako properly.]

Thank you, Nanako-chan.

[ She's also cried herself out, sitting up and rubbing at reddened eyes as she gives a quiet sniff. ]

Don't worry, Naoto-oneechan. You're not here by yourself. We're still your family. You don't have to be afraid of anything.

[Nanako is such a sweet girl with such a big heart. Naoto manages a broken smile back at the little girl. She looks on the verge of tears again. Instead though, she gives Nanako another tight embrace. She's right. She still had a family here. A family that's only become more dear to her since she's arrived.]

[She doesn't exactly know what will happen to her next, but Naoto at least knows that she'll always have a home and a place here. For now, that's more than enough.]

No, I'm not alone. And for that, I'm truly grateful.

Closed | A Sudden Departure...

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